Physicians, advanced practice clinicians, nurses and other members of the care team gathered Sept. 15 to mark the opening of the new unit, which brings together a purpose-built environment and specialized clinical protocols focused on the needs of CPMC\u2019s smallest and most vulnerable patients.<\/p>\n
Ready to welcome our smallest patients. Patient rooms in The Cove at Sutter\u2019s CPMC are designed to provide a quieter, darker, developmentally supportive environment for extremely premature infants, with space for families to remain close and participate in their baby\u2019s care.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Cove is a safe harbor in the Bay Area \u2013 a calm, protected space for the most fragile babies to get strong enough to go out into the larger world,\u201d said Dr. Katelin Kramer<\/a>, a neonatologist with Sutter West Bay Medical Group. \u201cWe have a shared goal of developmentally supportive care. We\u2019re very intentional about keeping the space quieter and darker, more like the uterine environment they\u2019d still be developing in.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n For babies born extremely prematurely, small changes in their environment and care can make an important difference. The Cove is designed to provide greater consistency in how these infants are cared for during a critical period of growth and development.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cResearch shows that small baby units provide better consistency in care,\u201d Dr. Kramer said. \u201cWe want to stay at the cutting edge of care delivery.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n A Multidisciplinary Approach to Care\u00a0<\/p>\n Creating The Cove involved much more than establishing a dedicated physical space. A multidisciplinary team reviewed and redesigned how care is delivered to extremely premature infants, developing policies and protocols specifically for this patient population.\u00a0<\/p>\n Nurses, respiratory therapists, physical therapists, social workers, nutritionists, physicians and advanced practice clinicians worked across six committees focused on key aspects of care, including nutrition, the first critical hour after birth, family-centered care, neurodevelopment and neuroprotection, skin and infection prevention, and respiratory care.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe new policies and care protocols in place for The Cove will improve patient outcomes,\u201d said Dr. Loc Le<\/a>, chief of neonatology at Sutter\u2019s CPMC, also with SWBMG. \u201cI\u2019m really proud of all the work everyone put into it. I think what we\u2019re doing here is transformative for the NICU.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n That coordinated approach is particularly important for infants whose medical needs can change rapidly and who may spend weeks or months in the hospital. It also creates greater consistency for families navigating an extraordinarily difficult and uncertain time.\u00a0<\/p>\n Extending Specialized Neonatal Care Across the Region\u00a0<\/p>\n The Cove also strengthens access to highly specialized neonatal care for families throughout the Bay Area and surrounding communities.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWhen an infant is born extremely premature, time and distance are critical factors in outcomes,\u201d said Dr. Christopher Retajczyk<\/a>, chief of neonatology for Sutter Health. \u201cThe Cove allows more families to remain close to their baby throughout treatment, and for infants who can\u2019t be brought here immediately, our neonatal transport teams deliver that same level of specialized, expert care, safely stabilizing critically ill newborns before transporting them hospitals throughout the region.\u201d <\/p>\n That regional network means The Cove\u2019s reach extends beyond the infants cared for inside the unit.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThis unit\u2019s impact isn\u2019t confined to these walls,\u201d Dr. Retajczyk said. \u201cIt extends that standard of care well beyond San Francisco.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n The Cove was made possible with support from the Deikel Family Foundation and reflects a shared investment in advancing care for extremely premature infants and their families.<\/p>\n![\"a](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Cove-room.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n